A man accused of killing a Detroit synagogue leader, Samantha Woll, denied any involvement in her death during his trial on Wednesday. Michael Jackson-Bolanos claimed he never entered Woll’s home but discovered her body outside, covered in blood. Despite speculation of antisemitic motives due to the Israel-Hamas conflict at the time of the murder, police dismissed this theory.
Jackson-Bolanos admitted to not reporting the incident to the police, explaining that finding a dead woman as a Black man breaking into cars in the middle of the night would not look good. Evidence presented in the trial included Woll’s blood found on Jackson-Bolanos’ jacket, although no proof showed he was inside her home. Woll, 40, was attacked inside her residence, but managed to make it outside before succumbing to her injuries.
The defendant testified that he stumbled upon Woll’s body while attempting to open car doors in the early hours of the morning, explaining how her blood may have ended up on him. Due to his criminal history, Jackson-Bolanos expressed fear in contacting the police immediately after the discovery, as he did not want to explain his activities during that time.
Initially, another man, a former boyfriend of Woll’s, was arrested and expressed doubts about his involvement in her death due to a potential adverse reaction to medication causing delusions. However, during the trial, he denied any connection to Woll’s murder. Woll’s sister mentioned a different man who had allegedly been stalking Woll, but later retracted her statement, stating that her sister had no enemies to her knowledge.
Samantha Woll, a prominent figure in Detroit’s Jewish community and Democratic politics, served as the president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue. Known for her involvement with political figures such as U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin and state Attorney General Dana Nessel, as well as being described as a community beacon by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Woll’s tragic death has left many in mourning. The trial, which commenced on June 11, is set to continue on Monday.
